213: Chapter 213: I am performing my duties according to the law

Inside the prison.

Xiao Ran sat on a chair with his legs crossed, flipping through a book titled "Complete Laws of the Sword Qi Great Wall."

He had dug this book out from the Patrol Guard archives; it was thick, brick-like, and covered in dust.

He flipped through a few pages and found the legal provisions were numerous and detailed. Just for the charge of gathering a crowd to cause trouble, there were over a dozen different regulations.

Some specified fifty strokes of the cane, some one hundred; some ordered fifteen days of detention, others thirty.

There were also provisions for compensation of losses, formal apologies, public self-criticism... looking at it made his head spin.

"No wonder the previous Patrol Guard captains liked to gloss things over; these laws are far too complicated."

He rubbed his temples and tossed the book aside.

Just then, Xiao Zhao ran in frantically, his face deathly pale.

"Captain Xiao! This is bad! People from the Zhou Family are here!"

"A lot of people have come! There's even a Void Refining Old Ancestor!"

Xiao Ran stood up and straightened his robes.

"They're finally here."

"It wasn't in vain that I spent half the day reading. Let's go out and meet them."

He took the lead and strode out of the prison.

In the courtyard, Sect Master Zhou Tianxing stood with his hands behind his back.

Behind him, over a dozen men in black were lined up, looking aggressive and menacing.

Several Patrol Guard members hid in the corners, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Old Qian lay on the ground with blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, supported by two colleagues, his face pale.

Xiao Ran walked out of the prison, scanned the courtyard, and fixed his gaze on Sect Master Zhou Tianxing.

He folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"Oh? What's this? Is the Zhou Family planning a prison break?"

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing didn't answer; he simply sized Xiao Ran up and down before letting out a cold snort.

"You are Xiao Ran?"

Xiao Ran nodded. "That's me. Who are you?"

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing stood with his hands behind his back and tilted his head up with an arrogant expression.

"This old man is Sect Master Zhou Tianxing, Zhou Xian's second grand-uncle."

"The Zhou Family Head sent me to collect someone."

Hearing this, Xiao Ran picked his ear and blew on his fingertip.

"Oh?"

"Collect someone? Collect who? I don't have anyone here for you to collect."

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing's face darkened.

"Xiao Ran, don't play dumb."

"Zhou Xian is being held here by you, and you used the Soul-Scattering Whip on him."

"According to the laws of the Sword Qi Great Wall, the crime of gathering a crowd to cause trouble does not warrant such a punishment. You are abusing your authority with illegal torture!"

Xiao Ran looked at him, a mocking smile curling on his lips.

"Abusing authority? Do you even know the law?"

He pulled the thick "Complete Laws of the Sword Qi Great Wall" from his robe and waved it in front of Sect Master Zhou Tianxing.

"Gathering a crowd to cause trouble, smashing a restaurant, injuring people, and destroying property—combined punishments: one hundred and fifty whip lashes and thirty days of detention."

"It's written clearly in black and white. You're getting old; do you need me to help you refresh your memory?"

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing's face turned ashen as he pointed at Xiao Ran. "You!"

Xiao Ran interrupted him. "'You' what? Who the fuck are you? You dare to question me?"

"Are you the Patrol Guard captain, or am I?"

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing was so angry his beard twitched, and his chest heaved violently.

This was the first time he had been so insulted by a junior at the Soul Transformation Stage.

This was simply an insult to his status as a Void Refining powerhouse.

The men in black behind him looked at each other, none of them daring to make a sound.

They had seen arrogant people before, but never someone this arrogant!

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the rage in his heart.

Now was not the time for a direct confrontation with Xiao Ran, so he took out a token from his robe and waved it before Xiao Ran.

The token was entirely golden, with the character 'Zhou' engraved on the front.

This was the Zhou Family Head's token; seeing the token was like seeing the Family Head himself, holding supreme authority within the Zhou Family.

"This old man represents the directive of the Zhou Family's Old Ancestor to bail him out."

"Xiao Ran, will you release him or not?"

Xiao Ran glanced at the token, then at Sect Master Zhou Tianxing, and gave a slight shake of his head.

"Bail denied."

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing's expression completely darkened, a flash of killing intent appearing in his eyes.

"Xiao Ran, think carefully."

"Offending the Zhou Family will do you no good."

Xiao Ran shrugged. "I've thought it through very clearly. The question is, have you?"

"Bringing so many people to the Patrol Guard prison—are you planning a jailbreak? Do you know what crime a jailbreak is?"

"According to the law, those who attempt a jailbreak are thrown into the dungeon for ten years."

"Those who actually use force are punished even more severely."

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing stared at him for three breaths of time.

"Fine, Xiao Ran, you've got guts. Just you wait."

He turned and led his people away.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

"Xiao Ran, you will regret this."

Xiao Ran ignored him, walked over to Old Qian, and crouched down to check his injuries.

There was a palm print on Old Qian's chest, dark purple in color, and two of his ribs were broken.

He took out a healing Medicinal Pill from his robe, popped it into Old Qian's mouth, and patted his shoulder.

"It's fine. Just rest for a few days and you'll be better."

"He'll be back. I'll help you get justice later."

Old Qian struggled to sit up. "Captain Xiao, I've caused you trouble."

Xiao Ran waved his hand. "It's no trouble."

"Go down and rest first. Leave things here to me."

Supported by two colleagues, Old Qian limped away.

Xiao Ran stood up and looked at the other Patrol Guard members, his gaze sweeping across every tense and fearful face.

"What are you afraid of? As long as I'm here, no one can do anything to you."

"Go, bring Zhou Xian out and continue the punishment."

One Patrol Guard member swallowed hard. "Captain Xiao, we're still hitting him?"

Xiao Ran looked at him. "What? You don't dare?"

The guard grit his teeth. "I dare!"

He turned and led several guards into the prison.

A moment later, Zhou Xian was dragged out.

He was covered in blood, his face was pale, his lips purple, and his hair was a tangled mess, looking like he'd been picked out of a trash heap.

Seeing Xiao Ran, Zhou Xian's eyes were filled with hatred.

"Xiao Ran, you'll die a miserable death!"

Xiao Ran revealed a cruel gaze, took the Soul-Scattering Whip, weighed it in his hand, and walked up to Zhou Xian.

The Soul-Scattering Whip was pitch black with barbs on the lash; every strike could tear away a sliver of the Divine Soul.

One hundred and fifty lashes were enough to make a Nascent Soul Great Perfection Cultivator's Divine Soul unstable and cause their cultivation to regress.

"I don't know if I'll die miserably, but I know you're suffering right now."

He raised the whip and lashed out.

Crack!

Zhou Xian screamed in agony, his whole body convulsing.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Lash after lash, Zhou Xian's screams echoed in the courtyard.

The surrounding guards watched with racing hearts, but no one dared to speak.

When the tenth lash landed, an angry shout finally came from outside the courtyard.

"Stop!"

Xiao Ran stopped the whip and looked back.

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing had returned, and someone was with him.

It was a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and a thin build, wearing a black Patrol Guard uniform.

The badge on this person's shoulder had one more star than Xiao Ran's.

Void Refining Stage.

The Captain of the Second Squadron, Chen Feng.

Xiao Ran lowered the whip and cupped his hands. "Captain Chen."

Chen Feng glanced at him, then at the blood-covered Zhou Xian on the ground, his brow furrowing.

"Xiao Ran, what is going on here?"

Xiao Ran said calmly, "Administering punishment according to the law."

"Gathering a crowd to cause trouble, smashing a restaurant, injuring people, and destroying property—combined punishments: one hundred and fifty lashes and thirty days of detention."

"After yesterday's session, one hundred lashes remained. I am currently executing them."

Chen Feng didn't speak upon hearing this, but instead looked at Sect Master Zhou Tianxing.

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing snorted coldly. "Captain Chen, the Zhou Family wanted to bail him out, but he refused."

"Your Patrol Guard certainly puts on quite the air of authority."

Chen Feng didn't respond to that, but simply looked at Xiao Ran. "Xiao Ran, the Zhou Family is bailing him out. Why won't you release him?"

Xiao Ran looked at him. "Captain Chen, according to the law, those who gather a crowd to cause trouble cannot be bailed out."

"This is the rule of the Patrol Guard and the law of the Sword Qi Great Wall."

"You are a Great Captain; you should know this better than I do."

Chen Feng's face darkened. "Xiao Ran, are you teaching me how to do my job?"

Xiao Ran shook his head. "I wouldn't dare. I am simply enforcing the law."